Football stars wrestling to get on the podium – Part One

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Football and wrestling go together like peanut butter and jelly. Skills like hand fighting, leverage, and taking opponents to the ground all transition seamlessly from sport to sport. Last weekend, 24 wrestling programs earned a spot in the state high school team tournament. Eight programs ended both their football and wrestling seasons in the state tournament - Elk River, Becker, Totino-Grace, Marshall, Staples-Motley, Jackson County Central, Chatfield, and Shakopee.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend, section tournaments for the individual portion of the tournament kick off around the state. Over the next few days, we will be highlighting juniors who will be dominating on the football field as seniors next season – but will first make runs at state championships on the wrestling mat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wrestling rankings are courtesy of The Guillotine.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1256249"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b4115871e77"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prepredzonemn Watch list/Ranked #1 in the 139A weight class by The Guillotine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">On the football field, Gunderson has good straight-line speed. His strong upper body makes him tough to bring down. Arm tackling will not typically get it done when dealing with Gunderson. He is a two-time state champion on the mat, coming off his second state championship at 132A last season. He took third place in his freshman year after winning his first title in the 106A weight class as an eighth grader.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1255135"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b4115871ed9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prepredzonemn ranking 257/Ranked #1 in the 145A weight class by The Guillotine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">As a running back, Patrick has quick feet at the line of scrimmage. That, combined with good vision, allows him to pick his way through the line of scrimmage. Not just a runner, Patrick is a real threat out of the backfield – both as a check-down option and also as a deep threat coming out of the slot. As a deep safety, he has solid ball skills and good athletic ability in coverage. Patrick contributes in all three phases – returning kicks for the Huskers. Patrick advanced to the finals as a sophomore before dropping the title match 7-4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1552404"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b4115871f25"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prepredzonemn ranking 234/Ranked #2 the 152A weight class by The Guillotine </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Tappe does a little bit of everything for the Cardinals. He is a hard-hitting defensive back who can play deep safety and slot corner. As a punt returner, the junior has good speed and explosiveness coming out of breaks. On offense, he is a great blocker coming out of the backfield. That physical play translates to his skill carrying the ball. His strength running the ball is complemented by his balance coming through the hole. He is strong enough to bounce off and break tackles and has the balance to keep moving forward. While not his primary role, Tappe can also catch the ball coming out of the backfield. As a wrestler, the junior has advanced to the finals in the last two years but has yet to reach the top of the podium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1255144"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b4115871f6d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prepredzonemn ranking 98/Ranked #2 in the 189A weight class by The Guillotine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bartkowicz throws a very easy-looking deep ball. His arm strength is to the point where many of his deep balls look effortless. His accuracy in throwing deep is also strong. He is not just a pocket passer; that arm strength and his overall athletic ability allow him to throw well on the move. The junior's movement in the pocket is not just to buy time. Bartkowicz is a threat to run at any moment – both when the play breaks down and with a designed quarterback run. He has the prototypical size for a quarterback. The junior plays both ways – as an explosive edge rusher. His length and athletic ability off the edge make him look about as far away from a quarterback as you can get. A two-time state entrant, he has fallen just short of the podium, going 2-2 on both previous trips to State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1602764"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b4115871fb5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prepredzonemn ranking 182/Ranked #7 in the 189A weight class by The Guillotine </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">While he can stretch the field with his arm, McMullen looks like a linebacker playing quarterback. He is a physical runner with good speed. He punishes defenders with his physical style of play. Looking to get on the board at State this season, McMullen advanced to the state wrestling tournament two years ago but failed to win a match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1402779"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67b4115871ffc"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prepredzonemn ranking 248/Ranked #10 in the189A weight class by The Guillotine</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bjerga is an absolute wrecking ball coming through the line of scrimmage when attacking from his inside linebacker position. He destroys ball carriers and lead blockers. One of the reasons for his violent collisions is his explosiveness coming out of his stance and once he gets to the hit point. That explosiveness translates to the offensive side of the ball, where he is a powerful guard and a running back. He is not just a short-yardage back either – he rushed for nearly 500 yards in the fall. Bjerga qualified for the state wrestling tournament last year – going 1-2, and helped the team end the season as the second-place finisher in the Class A team tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->